Posts found under: app

We wanted to share an app with you that’s been a favorite of some of our teachers and has been referred to as a “swiss army knife” to many working musicians: iReal Pro. We also think aspiring musicians from The Music Junction can benefit from using this app as well.

First, the app is popular among “gigging” musicians because it literally lightens their load and negates the need to bring so much sheet music to the next wedding, bat mitzvah or club. The iReal Pro app has a vast library of chord charts that allows you to play nearly any song. As an added bonus, users can change the key to any chart at any time! A library of chord charts is also good for students who may want to play with new music on their own and experiment with different genres of music.

The app also offer several exercise charts and makes practicing alone more interesting thanks to a playback feature that features a chord instrument, bass and drums. Instead of playing alone, students can practice their work with a fuller sound that gives them a sense who how the piece, as a whole, should sound.

As a writer for Musicians’ Republic noted: “You can set it to repeat as many times as you like, at whatever speed you like, and it will obviously play it in the key selected as well. You can turn the various instruments up or down in the mixer view … If I’m practising on piano I’ll typically turn the chord instrument down as I can provide that (thank you very much). If I’m practising on guitar though, I’ll leave it in as my ability to play the melody and chords at the same time on guitar is still a work in progress. You can work it out to suit you.”

While the app is not cheap — the 6.0 version costs $12.99 — we think eager students will spend a lot of time using this app, which means more practicing is being done!

Have you used iReal Pro? What do you think of it?

The Music Junction offers piano and voice lessons at our Burbank and Hollywood locations. Call us today to learn more.

Since The Orchestra app debuted nearly a year ago, there has been a steady stream of praise for its ability to bring orchestral music to life for people of all ages and skill sets. We wanted to share some of the app’s features and encourage you to find fun ways to supplement music lessons from The Music Junction.

Beginning Students: The app offers an introduction to all the instruments that comprise the orchestra as well as commentary from Philharmonia musicians. Users can see a 360-degree view of the instrument as well as learn about its sound range. There is also a special dot diagram — called a BeatMap — that flashes to indicate when a certain section is playing. The diagram could be a great introduction about how different instruments work together to create a cohesive sound.

Intermediate Students: For students who are starting to master music reading, the app allows users to hear the music and see the score at the same time. Advanced features include the ability to stop and replay the music to focus on certain passages, which is a great way for student to dissect challenging music.

Advanced Students: Ready to test your skills with some of the world’s best musicians? The app allows users to play along with an online digital piano. People can also hear Salonen’s commentary, providing insight into the score’s deeper meanings and complex storylines.

The Music Junction offers piano and voice lessons at our Burbank and Hollywood locations. Call us today to learn more.